Importance: 10%

The Big Idea

If I close my eyes and see what I am thinking about. I see a beautifully drawn map that is easy and a joy to pour over. But rather than a real geographical or imaginary world map, this map is one that represents the contents of my digital garden.

I have found the graph of obsidian and quartz to be nice for the sake of getting a big picture look at the contents of a garden but the problem becomes that it is not very inviting or useable for someone who does not have a good idea of how a particular garden is organized.

But I want something that will not be a lot of work to maintain and end up getting in the way of the ideas themselves.

My first imaginings kind of got out of control into making a full on video game that is an immersive first person experience. That might be worth following at some point just for fun but I think this first attempt needs to be as simple and straightforward as possible.

So for the sake of this here are some of the more technical specs I have come up with:

Simple scrolling map that is clickable
Maybe a hover over preview for notes
Clicking opens up a note for reading
Would like for it to be a drop in for quartz as a plugin

How the map helps signal Ideas

Sentiment to create certain biomes.
- Strongly disagreed makes a salt flat
- disagree being a sandy desert.
- An idea that is neutral being a flat plane
- Agreed with ideas being a forest
- Strongly agreed being mountains.
Epidemic disclosure creating the density of plant life
- Seed are small plants
- sprout is medium plants
- sapling larger plants
- tree fully grown
- fruit being a special kind of tree that stands out
- I’m not sure what evergreen should be
Word length to create the amount of space a note takes
- add more tiles for an idea the more words it is would be a good physical way to denote the difference between a really short note and a long essay
note type may be a fun way to add special graphics to the tile like a building or somethings eventually
also not sure how confidence could be shown maybe by adding water features? like strong confidence has pools considerations have streams and uncertain has no water. But that might end up looking weird with water everywhere in some places.

Approaches

It seems that the most well established way to make something like this that is not hand draw bit by bit is to use a grid that populates tiles with image content.

I want this map to be static so that it does not need to be generated every time it is opened but only on building the website

Algorithms for placing tiles on a grid pattern typically involve strategies like greedy placement, backtracking, or a combination of both, where you iteratively choose a tile to place based on its compatibility with already placed tiles, checking for valid connections and adjusting if necessary, often utilizing techniques like checking edge matching or color constraints depending on the desired pattern; common approaches include: recursive backtracking, divide-and-conquer, and randomized placement with checks for validity at each step. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key aspects of tile placement algorithms: [1, 3, 6]

Tile Set: The collection of different tile types with defined properties like shape, color, and edge matching rules. [1, 3, 6]
Grid: The underlying structure where tiles are placed, usually represented as a 2D array. [1, 2, 7]
Validity Check: A function to determine if a tile can be placed at a specific position based on existing tiles and rules. [1, 3, 8]

Common Tile Placement Algorithms: [1, 3, 9]

Greedy Placement: [1, 3, 9]
- Start with an empty grid. [1, 3, 9]
- At each step, choose the “best” available tile based on a heuristic (e.g., maximizing compatibility with existing tiles) and place it in a valid position. [1, 3, 5]
- This is a simple approach but can get stuck in local optima, potentially leading to incomplete or invalid patterns. [1, 3, 5]
Backtracking: [4, 7]
- Explore potential tile placements recursively. [4, 7]
- If a placement leads to an invalid state, backtrack to a previous decision and try another option. [1, 4]
- Can guarantee a valid solution if all possibilities are explored, but might be computationally expensive for large grids. [1, 4, 7]
Recursive Divide and Conquer: [2, 4]
- Divide the grid into smaller sub-grids. [2, 4]
- Recursively place tiles in each sub-grid, ensuring compatibility with neighboring sub-grids. [2, 4, 7]
- This can be efficient for certain patterns where dividing the problem into smaller parts is easily manageable. [2, 4, 7]
Randomized Placement with Validation: [1, 3, 6]
- Randomly select a tile and a position on the grid. [1, 3, 6]
- Check if the tile can be placed at that position without violating rules. [1, 3, 8]
- If valid, place the tile, otherwise, try another random tile and position. [1, 3, 6]
- Can be useful for generating more natural-looking patterns, but might require additional checks to avoid invalid configurations. [1, 3, 6]

Example Tile Placement Scenarios: [1, 3, 5]

Matching Edges: Tiles must connect along their edges with matching colors or patterns. [1, 3, 5]
Grid-Based Patterns: Placing tiles to create specific grid patterns like brick, herringbone, or basket weave. [5, 10, 11]
Procedural World Generation: Using tile placement algorithms to create complex environments in games, where tiles represent different terrain types. [1, 3, 5]

Generative AI is experimental.

[1] https://ijdykeman.github.io/procedural_generation/2019/11/08/generate-worlds-algorithm.html

[2] https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/tiling-problem-using-divide-and-conquer-algorithm/

[3] https://ijdykeman.github.io/ml/2017/10/12/wang-tile-procedural-generation.html

[4] https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/tiling-problem/

[5] https://stoneandtileshoppe.com/blogs/construction-renovation/best-tile-patterns

[6] https://www.thebathoutlet.com/how-tile-random-pattern/article/191

[7] https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/count-number-of-ways-to-fill-a-n-x-4-grid-using-1-x-4-tiles/

[8] https://westerninterlock.com/how-to-square-a-corner-3-4-5-method/

[9] https://www.tileshop.com/resources/installation-videos-and-guides/preparation-and-layout/how-to-plan-the-layout-of-a-shower

[10] https://www.emser.com/pages/tile-patterns-square-grid

[11] https://propcheck.in/construction/detailed-tile-installation-steps-and-essentials/

Interesting algorithm approach: http://ijdykeman.github.io/procedural_generation/2019/11/08/generate-worlds-algorithm.html

This is an older but open source version of that same algorithm: http://ijdykeman.github.io/ml/2017/10/12/wang-tile-procedural-generation.html

CSS Grid

so for that we need a kind of static grid that will be made with the grid css framework. Which could make for some interesting abilities to change views and reorient stuff without reloading all the tiles.

HTML Canvas

This would be the most able to generate elements and literally paint the map from scratch. The problem and really hard thing to program would be making the map clickable and static. Because I am pretty sure with this approach it would need to be drawn each frame even.

Because of the observations above I am going to choose to go with the css grid for a first implementation and see how it goes

Attempt 1

Current Step or Problem

Parse markdown files and pull out necessary attributes for each note Process into a json array of objects
This can then all be in a single array of json objects so that we can iterate over it easily while building the map

const markdownText = This is some text with #tag1 and #tag2.; const tags = markdownText.match(regex); console.log(tags); // Output: [“#tag1”, “#tag2”]

maybe look at quartz parser to see how it grabs things out of the files

I think for a prototype look at a stand alone parsing library for getting it running faster since this will probably get thrown away later during integration.

Attributes:

Note’s name

List of Tags

Length of note

List of all internal links to other notes

Simple spiral placement of basic tiles

Decide how big of a grid based on notes

Decide where center of grid is based on that

Then simple spiral placement starting from most mature to least

Construct html div
- nested in it are anchor links id with the name of the note
- each anchor then can get filled with image links that correspond to the attributes of the note
- This means that each note will kind of have it’s own object that can get an image or images attached to it

Maybe the idea of not starting with any grid but constructing is as we go. Start from center and then decide what next tile to place up, down, right or left. filter out spots that are already filled and then it is just a matter of choosing the order of notes to lay down.

If sentiment is how biomes are made then it makes sense to start from index as base camp. then each biome is laid down randomly together. One tile per note this go so that we can try it out. This would be a good first implementation that at least gets the idea working kind of.

Render array into html canvas

Add interactivity to map

How can it be made with the idea of unfolding and differentiation

So am empty garden starts at zero but use the base map

Each note is represented as a landmark

The idea of being able to remember and recognize landmarks in the garden and how they relate to

So the idea of unfolding can generate the map from the index note and then unfolds other notes in space near it based on connections

Each connection represents a path but have to figure out how to make an actual map from it

The experience should be that of exploration so there needs to be variety and unexpectedness around the corner

Maps the feeling, certainty and level of growth of an idea to the environment that is generated around it

Also use word count to generate a larger landmark feature for “bigger” ideas

Tags are the things that make a note’s landmark change in character that way what the note is actually relates to how it looks on the map

Higher up is more important

https://github.com/amirgamil/flora?tab=readme-ov-file

http://www.createafreewebsite.net/anchor_tag_image.html#top-test

https://blog.alexdevero.com/interactive-image-overlay-tutorial/

AI Generated Notes

Crafting a Digital Garden Map: A Technical Breakdown

Understanding the Vision:

Based on your description, you envision a visually appealing and interactive map that:

Represents notes visually: Uses visual cues like biome, density, and size to convey information about each note.
Is easy to navigate: Allows users to click on notes to open them, and perhaps hover over them for previews.
Is customizable: Can be tailored to individual preferences and garden structures.
Is efficient: Avoids complex rendering and generation processes, focusing on a static, pre-generated map.

Technical Approach: CSS Grid

Given your preference for a static, efficient approach, CSS Grid seems to be the most suitable technology. Here’s a breakdown of how you could implement it:

1. Data Preparation:

Parse Notes: Use a tool like remark-parse or a custom script to extract relevant information from your notes:
- Title
- Tags
- Word count
- Sentiment
- Links to other notes
Assign Visual Attributes: Based on the extracted information, assign visual attributes to each note:
- Biome: Determine the biome based on sentiment (e.g., strongly disagreed = salt flat, agreed = forest).
- Density: Determine the density of plant life based on epidemic disclosure (e.g., seed = low density, tree = high density).
- Size: Determine the size of the note’s tile based on word count.
- Style: Determine the style of the tile based on tags or other factors (e.g., buildings, special markers).

2. HTML Structure:

Create a grid container:HTML
```
<div class="garden-map">
  </div>
```

For each note, create a grid item:HTML

<div class="grid-item">
  <a href="note.md">
    <img src="biome-image.png" alt="Biome Image">
    <p class="note-title">Note Title</p>
  </a>
</div>

3. CSS Styling:

Define the grid layout using CSS Grid properties:CSS

.garden-map {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(200px, 1fr));
  grid-gap: 10px;
}

Style the grid items based on the assigned visual attributes:CSS

.grid-item {
  /* Styles for the default grid item */
}

.salt-flat .grid-item {
  /* Styles for salt flat biome */
}

/* ... other biome styles ... */

4. JavaScript Interaction:

Use JavaScript to dynamically generate the HTML structure based on the parsed note data.
Add event listeners to the grid items for hover and click interactions:
- On hover, show a tooltip with a preview of the note.
- On click, open the note in a new tab or modal.

Additional Considerations:

Visual Appeal: Experiment with different color palettes, fonts, and image styles to create a visually pleasing map.
User Experience: Consider the overall user experience, including navigation, accessibility, and responsiveness.
Performance: Optimize the rendering and interaction performance, especially for large gardens.
Customization: Allow users to customize the map’s appearance and behavior through settings or plugins.

By carefully planning and implementing these steps, you can create a beautiful and functional digital garden map that enhances your note-taking and knowledge management experience.

Would you like to delve deeper into any specific aspect of this implementation, such as data parsing, CSS Grid layout, or JavaScript interaction?

Crafting a Spatially-Aware Digital Garden Map

To achieve a map-like layout where notes from the same biome are grouped together, we’ll leverage CSS Grid’s powerful layout capabilities. Here’s a detailed approach:

1. Data Preparation:

Assign Spatial Coordinates: In addition to the existing attributes, assign x and y coordinates to each note. These coordinates can be randomly generated within a specific biome’s area, or calculated based on relationships between notes (e.g., linked notes could be placed closer together).
Determine Grid Size: Based on the number of notes and desired map size, determine the number of rows and columns for the grid.

2. HTML Structure:

Create a grid container:HTML
```
<div class="garden-map">
  </div>
```

For each note, create a grid item with the assigned coordinates:HTML

<div class="grid-item" style="grid-row: 3; grid-column: 5;">
  </div>

3. CSS Styling:

**Define the Grid:**CSS

.garden-map {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(10, 1fr); /* Adjust the number of columns as needed */
  grid-template-rows: repeat(10, 1fr); /* Adjust the number of rows as needed */
  gap: 10px; /* Adjust the gap between grid items */
}

Position Grid Items: Use the grid-row and grid-column properties to position each grid item according to its assigned coordinates. For example:CSS
```
.grid-item[data-x="3"][data-y="5"] {
  grid-row: 3;
  grid-column: 5;
}
```
You can use JavaScript to dynamically add these styles to each grid item based on its coordinates.

4. JavaScript Implementation:

Generate Grid Items: Iterate through the note data and create HTML elements for each note.
Assign Coordinates and Styles: For each note:
- Assign x and y coordinates based on the biome and other factors.
- Calculate the corresponding grid row and column.
- Add the grid-row and grid-column styles to the grid item element.
Append Grid Items to the Container: Add the generated grid items to the .garden-map container.

Additional Tips:

Responsive Design: Use CSS media queries to adjust the grid layout for different screen sizes.
Visual Cues: Use color, font size, and other visual cues to differentiate between different types of notes.
User Interaction: Consider adding features like zooming, panning, and filtering to enhance the user experience.
Performance Optimization: For large gardens, optimize the rendering and interaction performance.

By following these steps and leveraging CSS Grid’s flexibility, you can create a visually appealing and interactive digital garden map that effectively represents your notes and their relationships.

Would you like to explore specific techniques for generating spatial coordinates or creating visually appealing biomes within the map?

Generating HTML and CSS from Markdown for a Spatially-Aware Digital Garden Map

Understanding the Task: We’re aiming to:

Parse Markdown: Extract relevant information (title, tags, content, etc.) from Markdown files.
Assign Spatial Coordinates: Determine the position of each note on the map.
Generate HTML: Create HTML elements for each note, assigning the appropriate CSS classes and inline styles.
Generate CSS: Create CSS rules to style the grid layout and the individual notes.

Tools and Libraries: We’ll use a combination of JavaScript, a Markdown parsing library (like marked), and DOM manipulation techniques.

Code Breakdown:

JavaScript

// Assuming you have an array of note objects, each with properties like:
const notes = [
  {
    title: "Note 1",
    tags: ["tag1", "tag2"],
    content: "Note content...",
    x: 3,
    y: 5,
    biome: "forest"
  },
  // ... other notes
];

// Function to generate HTML
function generateHTML(notes) {
  let html = `<div class="garden-map">`;
  notes.forEach(note => {
    html += `<div class="grid-item" style="grid-row: ${note.y}; grid-column: ${note.x};">
      <a href="#${note.title}">
        <h3 class="note-title">${note.title}</h3>
        <p class="note-content">${note.content}</p>
      </a>
    </div>`;
  });
  html += `</div>`;
  return html;
}

// Function to generate CSS
function generateCSS(notes) {
  let css = `
  .garden-map {
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(10, 1fr);
    grid-template-rows: repeat(10, 1fr);
    gap: 10px;
  }

  .grid-item {
    border: 1px solid black;
    padding: 10px;
  }

  /* Biome-specific styles */
  .forest .grid-item {
    background-color: green;
  }
  `;

  // Add biome-specific styles based on note data
  notes.forEach(note => {
    css += `.${note.biome} .grid-item {
      /* Add specific styles for the biome */
    }`;
  });

  return css;
}

// Usage:
const html = generateHTML(notes);
const css = generateCSS(notes);

// Insert the generated HTML and CSS into your document
document.body.innerHTML = html;
const style = document.createElement('style');
style.textContent = css;
document.head.appendChild(style);

Key Points:

Markdown Parsing: Use a library like marked to parse Markdown files and extract relevant information.
Spatial Coordinate Assignment: Implement a strategy to assign x and y coordinates to each note, considering factors like biome, tags, or semantic similarity.
HTML Generation: Create HTML elements for each note, setting the grid-row and grid-column styles based on the assigned coordinates.
CSS Generation: Define the overall grid layout and create CSS classes for different biomes or note types.
Dynamic Styling: Use JavaScript to dynamically add CSS classes or inline styles to grid items based on note attributes.

By following these steps and customizing the code to your specific needs, you can generate dynamic and interactive digital garden maps from your Markdown notes.

Would you like to delve deeper into any specific aspect of this process, such as spatial coordinate assignment, biome-based styling, or advanced interaction techniques?

Assigning Spatial Coordinates to Notes

Understanding the Problem

The goal is to assign x and y coordinates to each note in a way that visually represents relationships between notes and their thematic groupings (biomes).

Potential Algorithms

Here are a few algorithms that could be used:

1. Force-Directed Layout:

How it works: Treats nodes (notes) as charged particles that repel each other.1 Edges (links between notes) act as springs that pull nodes together.2 The system reaches equilibrium when the forces balance, resulting in a visually appealing layout.3
Advantages: Handles complex relationships well, produces aesthetically pleasing layouts.4
Disadvantages: Can be computationally expensive for large datasets.5

2. Hierarchical Layout:

How it works: Organizes nodes into a hierarchical structure based on their relationships.6 Nodes are placed on levels, with parent nodes higher up and child nodes lower down.7
Advantages: Simple to implement, good for tree-like structures.
Disadvantages: Less flexible for complex, non-hierarchical relationships.

3. Grid-Based Layout:

How it works: Divides the space into a grid and assigns nodes to grid cells. Nodes within the same biome can be clustered together.
Advantages: Simple and efficient, good for large datasets.
Disadvantages: Less flexible for complex relationships, can lead to overlapping nodes.

4. Random Layout:

How it works: Assigns random x and y coordinates to each node.8
Advantages: Simple to implement, good for initial layouts.
Disadvantages: Can lead to cluttered and unreadable layouts.

Choosing the Right Algorithm

The best algorithm depends on the specific characteristics of your digital garden:

Number of Notes: For large numbers of notes, grid-based or random layouts might be more efficient.
Relationship Complexity: For complex, interconnected notes, force-directed layout or hierarchical layout can be more effective.
Desired Visual Style: Consider the desired aesthetic and the level of detail you want to convey.

Implementation Tips:

Biome-Based Clustering: Group notes within the same biome and assign them coordinates within a specific region of the map.
Link-Based Positioning: Consider the links between notes and adjust their positions accordingly.
Iterative Refinement: Use an iterative approach to refine the layout, adjusting positions based on visual feedback.
Visualization Libraries: Explore libraries like D3.js or NetworkX to simplify the implementation of force-directed and hierarchical layouts.

By carefully considering these factors and experimenting with different algorithms, you can create a visually appealing and informative digital garden map.

Certainly, here’s a breakdown of how to create a rule-based procedural generation framework for 2D tilemaps in JavaScript, along with relevant libraries and examples:

Core Concepts

Grid Representation:
- 2D Array: The most common approach. Each element in the array represents a tile (e.g., [[“grass”, “grass”, “water”], [“grass”, “tree”, “grass”|“grass”, “grass”, “water”], [“grass”, “tree”, “grass”]]).
Tile Types:
- Define a set of tile types (e.g., “grass”, “water”, “tree”, “rock”, “sand”).
- Each tile type can have associated properties (e.g., walkable, passable, height).
Rules:
- Context-Based: Rules determine the probability or conditions for placing a specific tile type based on the surrounding tiles.
  - Example: “If all adjacent tiles are ‘grass’, place a ‘tree’ with 20% probability.”
  - Example: “If two adjacent tiles are ‘water’, place a ‘sand’ tile.”
- Constraints: Rules can also enforce constraints, such as:
  - “Water tiles must always be adjacent to other water tiles.”
  - “Trees cannot be placed adjacent to rocks.”

JavaScript Implementation

Basic Framework (Conceptual) function generateMap(width, height, rules) { const map = []; for (let y = 0; y < height; y++) { map.push([]); for (let x = 0; x < width; x++) { map[y][x] = getTileType(x, y, map, rules); } } return map; }

function getTileType(x, y, map, rules) { // 1. Get neighboring tiles const neighbors = getNeighbors(x, y, map);

// 2. Apply rules let candidateTiles = [“grass”]; // Start with a default tile for (const rule of rules) { if (rule.condition(neighbors)) { candidateTiles = rule.result; break; // Stop if a rule matches } }

// 3. Choose a tile randomly from candidates return candidateTiles[Math.floor(Math.random() * candidateTiles.length)]; }

function getNeighbors(x, y, map) { // Implement logic to get neighboring tiles (up, down, left, right, diagonals) }

Example Rules (Simplified) const rules = [ { condition: (neighbors) ⇒ neighbors.includes(“water”), result: [“sand”, “grass”] }, { condition: (neighbors) ⇒ neighbors.every(n ⇒ n === “grass”), result: [“tree”], }, // … more rules ];

Libraries and Tools

No Specific Libraries: You can build this framework from scratch using plain JavaScript.
Game Engines: If you’re building a game, game engines like Phaser, PixiJS, or Babylon.js provide tools for:
- Tilemap Rendering: Easily display your generated map visually.
- Collision Detection: Implement game logic based on tile properties.
Noise Libraries: Consider using libraries like Simplex Noise or Perlin Noise to generate initial heightmaps or other base layers for your rules to work upon.

Key Considerations

Rule Order: The order of rules in your array can significantly impact the final map.
Randomness: Use pseudorandom number generators (PRNGs) for consistent results across runs.
Iterative Refinement: Generate the map in multiple passes, applying rules repeatedly to refine the layout.
Visualizations: Create tools to visualize the map generation process, which helps in debugging and fine-tuning rules. Example (Simplified - Using a 2D Array) const mapWidth = 10; const mapHeight = 10;

const map = []; for (let y = 0; y < mapHeight; y++) { map.push([]); for (let x = 0; x < mapWidth; x++) { // Simple rule: Alternate between “grass” and “water” map[y][x] = (x + y) % 2 === 0 ? “grass” : “water”; } }

console.log(map);

This is a basic foundation. You’ll need to expand on this with more complex rules, tile types, and map generation algorithms to create interesting and diverse worlds. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

Explorer

The Aspen Grove

Digital Garden Map

How the map helps signal Ideas

Approaches

CSS Grid

HTML Canvas

Attempt 1

AI Generated Notes

Assigning Spatial Coordinates to Notes

Understanding the Problem

Potential Algorithms

1. Force-Directed Layout:

2. Hierarchical Layout:

3. Grid-Based Layout:

4. Random Layout:

Choosing the Right Algorithm

Table of Contents

Backlinks

Graph View

Recent Thoughts

Who Shall Separate Us

Word Made Flesh

Working Genius Based Project Lifecycle